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This Speakout has not been edited

By Tom Goldsmith, Denver

Imagine my surprise.

I went to the Cherry Creek Whole Foods a few days ago to buy some tuna salad. I like their tuna salad; it’s tastier than other tuna salads.

I asked an employee what type of tuna they used in their tuna salad and was told it wasn’t albacore. I’d asked because I’d been reading that tuna, especially albacore tuna, should be avoided because it contains mercury which is bad for us. When I pressed for more info, the employee said he’d show me a typical can of the tuna they use to make their tasty tuna salad.

Well, let me tell you, he became back with a really BIG can of tuna. Several pounds big. So big that I could easily read: “made in China", or some such language, on it. Wow! Canned tuna made in China, the land from whence cometh adulterated pet food.

I left the store. Without the tuna.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve become reluctant to buy foods that are produced outside the United States and Canada because foods produced elsewhere, including China, may not be safe to eat.

I’ve searched the internet and have found lots of articles claiming that many foreign governments do a very poor job regulating their food producers, that the current administration in Washington is not putting enough pressure on foreign food providers and is doing a very poor job keeping adulterated foods out of American markets. These articles express special concern about tuna because of the mercury much of it contains, which is particularly bad for pregnant women and infants.

Most of us believe, don’t we, that alternative super markets ("Health Food Stores” and “Natural Food Stores” such as Whole Foods are our best source of safe food; however, my recent experience suggests it is unwise to assume that alternative supermarkets really do supply safer food than do conventional markets.

The big natural food conglomerate that’s resulted from the recent merger of Whole Foods with Wild Oats can be expected to claim that it is doing the best job it can to provide Americans with healthy food. And that may be so, but, query, is it really doing a better job than conventional supermarkets?

Is it really safe to buy foreign foods such as Chinese tuna salad in any market today?

READER COMMENTS

Part of the problem with produce grown in America is that Pedro and Maria poop on the spinach and pee on the lettuce while they pick it; or is it the other way around...no matter as it happens.

For the open borders crowd who thinks that doesn't happen; I suggest you take your rose colored glasses off and get a clue about all the criminals who invade our country daily just to work hard.

Regarding imported food stuffs, it sounds like Customs, USDA and the FDA don't have the resources they truly need to protect the food supply.

Most of the produce and salmon and other types of fish have a sticker on it that says,Product of Chile.I see this sticker more and more. I've never had a problem with any products from Chile.If you remember back a few months ago we had a major E-Coli outbreak from American farms in California.
So what are we supposed to eat?Who are we supposed to trust.

American companies are just as terrible about controling food bourne sicknesses.
Beef,chicken,fish,produce etc...

So what are consumer's supposed to do?
It seems that our government is not keepng an eye on American companies,let alone what's coming in to the country.

We are supposed to be eating healthy,but it seems like the foods that are healthy have a higher probability of making us sick.
I think that is scary.

Charles:

I'm sure our good Commie buddies in China have nothing but high praise for Americans and don't use so-called slurs to describe us while they dump their crap here.

I too always think twice buying any product that is made in China. But the old adage "You get what you pay for" always comes to mind & I try to avoid them at all costs.

However, the comment made by QBT about "Chink" products is totally unnecessary & only brings to mind one thing: Uneducated, Racist FOOL.

There is no cause to use racial slurs, especially if you are posting anonymously on a website, brings to mind the word Coward as well.

Your thoughts are shared by many who also believe that Chinese made goods are absolutely inferior to American Made products, myself included, but the use of a racial slur does not really make any point other that to point out your ignorance.

Melamine in the pet food, ethylene glycol (anti-freeze component) being sold as pharmaceutical grade glycerin (check N.Y. Times for this story), inferior grades of steel used in flanges meant for power plants and refineries.

Almost all machine tools come from China now; then there is all the throw away cheaply made crap from brands we used to trust (HP, Motorola, Dell, B-K Mueller, etc, etc, etc ad nauseum).

How many times have you had a product fail prematurely since our good buddies in China started supplying our products? I've lost count over the years.

American products used to be the envy of the world; but the captains of industry and the Federal Government in the name of greed called open markets have given our basic industries away to the Chinks. The Chinese make inferior crap and in spite of what they tell us, the products are not up to specifications.

Remember folks, the noise you hear from Chairman Mao Tze Tung's grave is not him rolling over in it; but laughter as he couldn't beat the United States with a failed political ideology...he's beating us with greed. Ours.

Whenever a Chink made product I paid good hard earned money pukes out prematurely, I blast the manufacturer via email and let them know that China makes junk. I suggest we all do the same whenever possible.

Open markets is not the same as fair trade in my opinion. If the Chinese played fair, they would pay their employees more than slave labor wages and they wouldn't be dumping their junk on the world market at or below cost.

To buy cheap is to buy twice.

It's tough; but whenever possible, "Just say NO to Chinese made crap!"

The best thing all Americans can do in regard to China is a complete boycott of all thier products. China is not our friend. We are mortal enemies of the Chinese government. If you can't buy a product unless it is made in China, you probably don't need it anyway. Google the book 'Unrestricted Warfare' for a good look at how the Chinese government views the USA. Everything we spend on Chinese products will eventually come back to us at the barrel of a gun.

I also wounder about the Chinese being involved as major suppliers of our food. I personally will look for products produced in the United States.

Jerry Kapes

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